Ambition's Price
by Kymaera
Summary: Jyou has decided to follow his dreams, but his father doesn't approve... (same universe as "A Friendly Push").


"Yama, I don't think I can do this…

Disclaimer:I don't own Digimon, nor do I own Jyou, Yamato, or… hell, you know the drill.Suing me wouldn't do you much good (as I own very little of actual value), so I wouldn't bother…

Author's Note: This fits in with "A Friendly Push", just a little prequel fic I wrote after pondering something Rae-chan mentioned in an email.You do not have to read one to understand the other, although it might help. 

The relationship between Jyou and Yamato was written as friendship, but you may interpret it however you like (the same applies to "A Friendly Push").

Many thanks to: Musouka, Rachel Lynn, and Shimmercat, who were all kind enough to read this for me and give me their honest opinions; Everyone at the Jyoriplus ML, who have put up with my randomness and supported my humble endeavors into the vast world of fanfiction; and S1ncer1ty, to whom I have to give full-credit for the title.You all are the best.

Comments, Criticisms, and Flames welcome.

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_Ambition's Price_

By Rahn Starsnake

"Yama, I don't think I can do this…."

"Jyou, we've been over this.Do you really want to spend the rest of your life as a _doctor?"_

"Well, no…"

"Then you have to face your father and tell him that.I know it's hard, but you can do it.You've explained it to me at least a dozen times, this'll be a snap, right?"

"Well…"

"C'mon, Jyou, have a little faith in yourself!You know this is the right thing to do…."

"Yeah, you're right.Thanks, Yama, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, you know I'll always be there for you.Good luck, Jyou.Not that you'll need it."

"Yeah, right.Talk to you later."

"Bye."

_Click._

* * * * *

A man sat behind a desk in a darkened study.He was an older man, in his late fifties; wire-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, his dark hair graying at the temples.The only source of illumination in the room as he worked was an antique green-glass desk lamp.In the shadows stood tall bookshelves neatly lined with texts of varying sizes and origins.Behind him hung several frames, their contents obscured by shadows and the reflection of light on glass. A soft knock on the door pulled him, momentarily, from his thoughts.He waved his hand distractedly and muttered a quick "Enter" at the unwelcome interruption standing on the other side of the door. 

The door opened quietly and clicked shut.A young man, perhaps in his early twenties, entered the room cautiously.He was slender and tall, and moved with a quiet dignity, waiting patiently for the older man to acknowledge his presence.Without looking up from his work, the older man started, "Koishii[1][1], if you have a moment, could you please—" he gathered a few papers and looked up, surprise touching his features briefly."…Jyou.Good evening."

"Good evening, father," the young man replied respectfully."If you're not too busy, there is something I wish to discuss with you."The older man gestured toward one of the chairs in front of the mahogany desk, and Jyou took a seat, his perfect posture the only visible sign of his nervousness at confronting his father.

"What is it you wish to discuss, Jyou?" The young man averted his eyes and self-consciously adjusting his glasses.For a long moment he said nothing.His father was about to remind him that he had important work to be doing when Jyou leaned forward and looked into the older man's dark eyes.

"I…" he paused, taking a deep breath and choosing his words carefully, "I wanted to inform you that I have decided to change my major.The admissions office is processing the request as we speak.I am discontinuing my medical training and, beginning next fall, becoming an Astronomy major."

Jyou's gaze was steady and, after the initial pause, his voice never wavered once. Briefly, the older man wondered at Jyou's composure.Who was this self-confident young man sitting before him and what had happened to his shy, awkward little boy?He didn't think it possible that he had missed that much of his son's life.

"You no longer desire to be a doctor, Jyou?" his father asked, feigning slight boredom.Jyou didn't seriously expect him to believe….

"No, father, I 'no longer desire to be a doctor'."There was a faint hint of mockery in his son's tone, but he dismissed it.He didn't raise his children to be disrespectful, especially not to their elders.

"Jyou, this is ridiculous.You've always wanted to be a doctor, ever since you were a little boy.You've come so far; you can't wish to stop now.And you're doing so well in your cla—"

"No, father, you're wrong."The older man's eyes flashed, but his features remained calm.Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved by becoming angry."I _haven't always wanted to be a doctor, __you have always wanted me to be a doctor.And Shin before me, and Shuu before him.That's been your dream for all of us, and if we've talked of nothing else, it was simply because we were afraid to disappoint you._

"And, yes, I am doing well in my classes, but you wouldn't permit anything else from me.To keep my grades up to 'acceptable levels' as you once said, I have to spend every spare moment I have studying.There are days when I hardly eat and times when I go weeks without more than one or two hours of sleep a night, just to prepare fo—" 

"That's enough."His father's quiet voice was rich with suppressed anger."What gives you the right to come to me and tell me these things?Have you no respect?After I have been gracious enough to offer you every opportunity, to pay for you to attend the finest institutions, you want to come to me and, not ask but _tell me that you want to throw it all away to become—what?—an astronomer?"His voice never rose above conversational, but his words had a bite to them._

"Yes, that is what I'm telling you.I know that Astronomy is not as prestigious as Medicine, but for the first time I'll be devoting my life to _my dreams, instead of those you have forced upon me."_

"You'll never making it without my help, Jyou."He was furious with his son's audacity and finding it difficult to keep his anger in check."And if you continue with this foolishness, you'll get nothing from me.I'm not going to support a son who wants to spend the rest of his life stargazing."

"Father, don't you realize that I could never be a doctor that you would be proud of?I can hardly look at a dead insect without becoming nauseous, to say nothing of a cadaver.Organic Chemistry is my worst subject, followed closely by Microbiology and Anatomy.I just have no interest in any of it.And if there's one thing I _have learned in Pre-med, you have to __want to become a doctor or you never survive the training._

"As for your support, I had already assumed that you were no longer going to be funding my schooling.I am going to be attending college part-time and I have lined up a paid internship at Nobeyama Observatory.I no longer need your help."

These last words were the final straw.The older man stood forcefully, his last shred of control gone."You think that you don't want to become a doctor.Instead, you want to waste your life and your potential gaping at the sky like a Neanderthal?"He heard his voice rising in intensity, but at that point there was very little he could do to curb his fury."Because of a few petty, _childish reason, you wish to completely destroy any chance you have at a future?And you don't think you need my help?You're wrong, Jyou.You do need my help, but that option is no longer available to you.You are to pack up your possessions and leave my house.Go off to your Observatory, but don't expect me to take you back when you realize the pure foolishness of this plan.As far as I am concerned, you are no longer my son!"_

He was expecting the young man before him to give in.He was expecting his son to hang his head, admit that he was wrong and beg him to reconsider.He was expecting Jyou to do anything but nod in agreement and extend his hand across the desktop.His business instincts taking over he returned the gesture, finding his son's grasp firm.Jyou shook his hand just once.

"I won't say it was a pleasure, because that would be untrue.I only hope that you don't come to regret your hasty decision."With those quiet words Jyou released his hand and walked from the room.The door clicked shut and the older man felt the anger drain from his body.Suddenly exhausted, he sat back in his chair, removing his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes.

Three sons.Three sons and not one to follow in his footsteps.He had worked his entire life to guarantee them the comfortable existence he had never had as a child.He had given them every possible opportunity for success and they had each come to him and spit his generosity back in his face.He only wanted what was best for them; didn't they understand that?They each had so much potential, so much going for them, and they all just threw it away.Returning his glasses to his face, he picked up his pen and returned his attention to the work in front of him.They were no longer his concern.

~owari~

  


[1][2] According to the "Japanese-English Dictionary Interface" (http://www.notredame.ac.jp/cgi-bin/jedi) "koishii" means darling/beloved/dear.I know there isn't any other Japanese in the fic, but it didn't quite feel right to have his father say something like "darling".Please forgive me if the word I have is wrong.I don't speak Japanese (although I'm working on that).Corrections are always welcome.^_^

   [1]: #_edn1
   [2]: #_ednref1



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